Bikie killed in airport brawl

By Dylan Welch, Les Kennedy and Ellie Harvey

A HELLS ANGELS associate was killed in a brawl at Sydney Airport with a rival club, the Comanchero, in a brazen attack witnessed by dozens of travellers yesterday afternoon.

The Lakemba man, 29, was knocked to the ground during the fight - involving at least 10 men - and bashed repeatedly in the head with a metal bollard.

``They were like a tangled mob''... paramedics work frantically to save the dying Hells Angel. The photo is from a traveller's mobile phone. Four men were later arrested.

The attack took place in terminal three, one of the most secure and monitored public spaces in Australia.

The Premier, Nathan Rees, immediately announced he would meet the Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione, this morning to discuss tough new anti-bikie legislation.

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"I was sickened by this brazen attack. Violence of this nature particularly in front of families and children is nothing short of disgusting," Mr Rees said.

The attack came hours after the Sydney-based Bandidos had been involved in a series of drive-by shootings at six homes in Auburn. They are believed to be linked to a feud with another club, Notorious.

The dead man became embroiled in the brawl as interstate bikies arrived from Adelaide via Melbourne. Reinforcements had been expected in Sydney at the weekend to help the Bandidos' Blacktown chapter in its war with Notorious, sources said.

Onlookers were stunned by the intensity of the fight.

"Even if there was airport security there was no way they could have intervened," said a witness, who did not want to be named. "They came across the turnstiles like a tangled mob.

"[There was] a man on the ground and a man smashing his head with this silver bollard - there was nothing [security and police] could have done."

The brawl is believed to be linked to a feud between the Hells Angels and the Comanchero gang that erupted after the Angels' clubhouse in Petersham was bombed last month.

The fight was believed to have been planned, and it ranged across the terminal, said Detective Inspector Peter Williams, of Botany Bay police.

"We have got a lot of cameras and a lot of witnesses."

Four Comanchero members were arrested after leaving the airport in a taxi. Police expected to charge the four men - a 25-year-old from Auburn, a 22-year-old from Casula, a 21-year-old from Pemulwuy, and a 22-year-old from Ingleburn - with affray early today.

The Minister for Police, Tony Kelly, promised to "throw every resource" into the investigation and foreshadowed laws to try to stifle the operations of the clubs. "I will be meeting [today] with the police commissioner and the Attorney-General, looking at additional laws that we can bring into place to round these people up," Mr Kelly said.

Last month Mr Scipione requested extra power to combat the upsurge in violence. Details of the laws are not known, but it is understood they will include provisions on non-association - making it illegal for members of bikie gangs to congregate.

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Last night senior commanders were meeting with federal police about airport security. The Australian Crime Commission is likely to become involved in talks on the interstate movement of motorcycle gang members.

The Opposition Leader, Barry O'Farrell, added his voice to calls for an end to bikie violence. "We need resolve, not simply to lock up these bikie gang criminals, but to break them up completely," he said.